Just an idea. You can put an additional AbilityConditionHasAffliction afflictionidentifier="disguisedashusk" to certain abilities (like Blessed, xBloodfeast, etc.). It will force acolytes to wear cultist or zealot robes.
And maybe add some integration with cultist lamp (forgot it ID).

Originally posted by K̴͎̓̌i̶̫͙͠b̷͓̈́r̶͌̃:

Just an idea. You can put an additional AbilityConditionHasAffliction afflictionidentifier="disguisedashusk" to certain abilities (like Blessed, xBloodfeast, etc.). It will force acolytes to wear cultist or zealot robes.
And maybe add some integration with cultist lamp (forgot it ID).

I completely forgot about the ritual lantern. Thanks for the reminder. I'll see if I can affect it at all. As for the first bit, I am not sure I want to add another conditional since it already requires having husk infection. Maybe for some of the general talents, or the missionary talents. I'll have to think about it.

Here's a thought: maybe have a perk or a part of Willing Host unsilence you when you do have the husk infection, as if you have husk symbiosis, or just have a perk give that when you are infected.

@Kobicha That would be very cool. Unfortunately, I can already see several issues with how it would have to be implemented that would cause issues in the vanilla game and compatibility issues with mods. I could twist it as a conditional and a drawback in exchange for being able to speak again. I'll have to think more on it because I would love to add a talent for that purpose.

Fair enough. I wouldn't know how difficult it is, so that's why I opted to suggest it since I am someone who likes using bots in gameplay.

Actually, thinking about it now, I don't think you'd NEED to work it in because Power of Prayer kinda does the work for you by increasing your reputation with the Church upon mission completion, and getting Husk Symbiosis as a reward feels good for the Acolyte, at least to me...Unless Husk Symbiosis is tied entirely to the quest, instead of the reputation gains.

In my mind, Acolyte is about managing the Husk infection to fit certain degrees rather than slapping on Zealot Robes or Husk genes calling it a day. They could have the benefit of giving buffs to bots they give orders to, like a repair, speed, or skill buff, and another skill that activates upon the third stage of Husk Infection when you lose speech, since speech cuts off at the third stage.

I get it. I use bots a lot as well, it would be nice to be able to order them around and still be husk. I am also glad to hear that someone is using the Acolyte in the way I intended it to be used, managing your husk infection. Husk genes and Zealot Robes are still an option for those who don't want to deal with that. As for the buff to bots your order, I am not sure if that is possible, specifically buffing just the bots. The last part where you give bonuses when you lose speech is definitely possible. I am not sure where I would put that effect though.

Now that I am looking at the perks again, I think the Jekyll and Hyde perk already does that benefit, technically, since it the Hyde benefit triggers on 70% Husk Infection.

I'm going to do more testing in a single-player/multiplayer setting with a friend or two to test the job more.

About the order benefits, I think the captain USED to do that before the talent rework.

Did my research and yes, the captain used to have a perk that gave benefits to the most recent character he ordered, giving a 25% damage resistance buff and +10 to all skills. Naturally, to fit a more general, multiplayer environment, this was replaced with the whole of the skipper tree.

Oh, I am aware about the old order talent stuff. When I originally released the Acolyte the hivemind talent tree was very similar to that. When that was pointed out to me, I did not like how the talent tree was and reworked it to what the hivemind talent tree is now, with slight adjustments since then. The Assimilation talent still uses that system. I meant that I don't believe it is currently possible to have that effect only target bots and not effect player characters. I suppose I wasn't very clear on that part.

Also, the Jekyll and Hyde talent doesn't take effect 70% husk infection. You lose the medical bonuses when you reach that threshold. You gain the weapons and bleeding bonus when you reach 30% husk infection.

Oh, I wasn't aware of that. I have yet to test that.

simple thing really, give the acolyte ID the same permissions as a medic, since medical is their default highest, and so they can get into the poison box to store eggs and whatnot safely

another thing, maybe the icon color could be more turquoise than green so that it better matches the shade that the church uses

The left specialization path at some point should have both choices cause you to reject gene splicing. The left simply causes any spliced genes to be tainted and the right blocks it altogether, maybe have it auto remove them so it causes organ damage. The idea that you could go left path and also have two spliced genes with an advanced gene splicer just feels bad and being an acolyte purity could also play a part.